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May 5th, 2013
Daytime Emmy Nominee Interview: The Young and the Restless Jeff Branson!

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Fans of The Young and the Restless have been missing the talents of Jeff Branson (as Ronan Malloy) when he quickly exited the canvas of the number one show during the regime change between then executive producer Maria Arena Bell, and new chief Jill Farren Phelps. And while he has been gone from daytime, the blue ribbon panel and academy voters certainly remembered him! So much so, that Branson is once again in the running for the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category at this year’s 40th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, to be held on Sunday June 16th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and airing once again on cabler, HLN!

Branson won the Outstanding Supporting Actor prize before, back in 2009 for his work as Shayne Lewis on Guiding Light, in a tie with All My Children’s Vincent Irizarry (David Hayward)! On-Air On-Soaps caught up with Jeff shortly after he became Emmy nominated one more time, to get his reaction to the acknowledgment by his peers, if he would like to return to Genoa City and have Ronan gets some lovin’ from Phyllis (Michelle Stafford), the importance of Y&R telling a timely bullying storyline, and his thoughts on the new All My Children (since he played Jonathan Lavery on the series), and more! Here’s our chat with Jeff!

Congratulations on being a Daytime Emmy nominee once again! So many fans love you as Ronan! They always tweet me, or post messages about how much they miss you on Y&R! Would you like to return to the show, if the opportunity presented itself?

Courtesy/IMDB

JEFF: I am in a position in my life where I want to be wanted. If they have a story for me, and a story they want me to come tell, I would love to do that. You know the way this industry works. You don’t want to beg to have somebody write for you, because you won’t like it, and you won’t like what happens. You will probably get embarrassed and shut down. I want them to say, “We need Jeff back on the canvas. We need some Ronan for this and that. Let’s call Jeff.” That way, I know that I am wanted there and not because I wiggled into it. I just know then the story is going to reflect it. It’s a writer’s game. I am only as good as the writing I’ve got. If it’s not very passionate, because they are not passionate about this character or me, I am not going to try to change their mind on that. If they want me around to tell a story, my phone is on!

Were you then surprised by the nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, when you had been written off the show?

JEFF: Very! I was like, “Holy s**t!” I was surprised at the Pre-Nomination! I was like, “Really?” Jimmy Freeman (Y&R publicist) called it. He saw the scene where Ronan is drunk with Phyllis at the end of the episode. He shot me an email saying, “I just want to tell you that was great stuff.” And when someone like Jimmy says that, someone that watches every single thing all day long, you know you did something good.

What episode did you submit and why did you choose it?

Courtesy/CBS

JEFF: It was my best stuff. Josh Griffith (head writer, Y&R) wrote me out so quickly, to no fault of his own. It’s business. I think Maria Arena Bell’s Young and the Restless might have asked me to extend my stay a little bit, because things were going so well with Ronan and Phyllis, and between the whole Nick thing. There was a great relationship being formed with Michael and Ronan. So there were good things going on. I think Jill Farren Phelps (EP, Y&R) had other plans. We never had a conversation about an extension. Again, a lot was going on, and no one’s at fault here. The ball can get dropped sometimes when you take over an entire show. I did not expect to be a first priority (Laughs). But they wrote me out so quick, that this material became so potent. It had to be so amped up. All of a sudden, he had this relationship with Phyllis. He helped her. He is breaking the law for her. He kept her out of jail. He is obviously falling in love with her and then obviously, it’s done. They had to eek this out in a one day; so obviously with that drunken scene, it led to a higher emotional life than Ronan usually shows. Usually, Ronan is a very emotionally controlled character, but in these scenes it gave me the opportunity to show a little bit of the chops. In the scene, Ronan is drunk and he says he is tired of always hearing, “Nick, Nick, Nick. Nick is gone and out of the picture, and he is not coming back!” At the end of the scene, I took my six-pack with me! (Laughs) I will go have this party somewhere else then, dammit! (Laughs)

How was working with Michelle Stafford?

JEFF: She’s a dream. I have had it really good in daytime. I had Gina Tognoni (Ex-Dinah, GL) before that; and working with Michelle Stafford, she brings it every day and she is always ready to play. I think it showed in our on-air chemistry. When two people like being around each other, and like each other’s company, and like each other’s work ethic, the camera sees all of that. I think it came across.

Courtesy/IMDB

I know you were originally slated to be a major part in the storyline where you are a mentor to young Jamie (Daniel Polo), and the bullying story that came out of that. Then the story went in another direction, which was probably part casualty due to your quick exit.

JEFF: Yeah, I think it was going a different way, and that was obviously a casualty of Ronan’s out date. That was a drag. There were only two bummers about my time on Y&R … not enough Tricia Cast (Nina) time, and the fact that Daniel Polo (Jamie) rocked that storyline, and had me believing in every word that he uttered out of his mouth. I wish I could have played more scenes with him. That is what can be so cool about daytime. They can write something so quickly and get out something so relevant. It is very timely. They got that story out, and I really think it’s important. I was bullied in high school. Then I got older and I actually prevented bullies because somewhere along the line I turned “cool”. I don’t even remember how. Something happened and I was cool all of a sudden! (Laughs) I watched out and prevented bullying. I know exactly how cruel kids can be, as we all do, if not watched and uncensored. Kids can rip your heart out, because they have no sense of the world yet. They have no sense of loss, and they don’t understand how destructive they can be. I really would have liked to finish telling that, also Christian LeBlanc (Michael) was involved in it, and Max Ehrich (Fen) does such great work, too. I really wanted to play that out, but unfortunately it did not work out that way.

In every role you have played, whether it be Jonathan Lavery on All My Children or Shayne Lewis on Guiding Light, people are so drawn to you on-screen. You are a very interesting actor to watch. Why do you think your performances translate so well to viewers? Are you aware you are able to do that?

JEFF: I think I am a good listener. My mother likes to talk about me … to me! (Laughs) She watches. She has been a fan of daytime since I can remember. She talks about it, and she tries to explain what she finds interesting about my work, which is interesting because it’s your mother. (Laughs) And don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to say I am all that and a bag of chips. OK?

Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos

No, but I said you are all that and a bag of chips! (Laughs)

JEFF: (Laughs) My mother has deduced it to that I am a really good listener. That is what she thinks it is. I do know when I am on, I am on. But I thank you very much for saying that, Michael.

Compared to your other daytime parts, do you think Ronan is one of the most favorite characters you have played?

JEFF: Not the most, but yes. I think I need to come back and finish up some business. I am not just saying that to get myself back on TV. I think we were just starting to chip away at that frosty exterior that Ronan had. That cop mentality of, “Just the facts, man.” I think we were just starting to see the human side of him. I think if he had love in his life, I think if he ends up falling in love with Phyllis, it opens his heart up, maybe. He can accept people and let them in. He can help the kid that is being bullied, and help his mother have a relationship with him, and then explore that and try to trust her. There are a lot of things that Ronan was just about to start doing.

It’s kind of cool, though … you are off the show and people are noticing your work!

JEFF: I couldn’t be happier with the nomination, and I am floored! I did like Ronan a lot. Some of the other characters I played, such as Jonathan on AMC … he was a whack-job! I loved him to death, but it got to the point where I was under the bed building a bomb! I mean, c’mon? Playing Shane was a really damaged character that turned around on Guiding Light. He really started to love and opened up his heart. I am just comparing the two, only in that I had more time to develop those characters with a wider story.

What do you think about the return of All My Children online in its new format? Have you checked it out yet?

Photo Credit: Chapman Baehler/TOLN

JEFF: I was just talking to Thorsten Kaye (Zach, AMC) about it. I think the return of AMC is really cool. I think it’s the future and they are ahead of the game. If they can take off the censorship you could steam it up, sex it up, amp it up, and say the things you need to say. You kind of lose some of your network restrictions. I think the nature of daytime and how it is written; it could really work for it. That’s when people sometimes call things “soapy” because you are trying to do these emotional storylines, or these love scenes, and you are trying to do them under very rigid constructs that you have to work with, because of censors. It’s just how it is … it’s business. With the new online AMC version, they may need to settle down a bit and just get a good groove on. Once they are on a good roll, I think this could be the future.

Will you be attending the Daytime Emmys?

JEFF: I will be there at the Daytime Emmys. I will have a sign out front, “Will Act for Ticket!” (Laughs)

What other projects have you been involved in lately? Where can fans look forward to seeing your work in the coming months?

JEFF: I did another thing for Sony in video game land. It was quite cool. It was motion-capture work. It’s going to have my likeness in it. I did those couple of guest star roles for a few CSI’s, and there are two other things going on. One is in talks right now, and something else where I am trying to start to wear a producer’s hat. It’s something for the last five years I have been thinking about. In Indie features that I was part of that were falling apart on set, I picked up the ball and prioritized and saved the budget a little bit, by deciding what shots could go, what needs to say, etc. From that point of view, a lot of cash that is financed for these films is misspent horribly. I have the desire to produce. I think next fall, I will produce and co-star in a film that we are going to shoot in Romania.

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Where is the Daytime Emmy that I told you, you were going to win back in 2009?

JEFF: (Laughs) It’s on the mantle, waiting for it’s plus one! I keep it close; it’s always a little sunshine on a dark day.

Soap fans, what do you think about Jeff Branson’s Daytime Emmy nomination? Do you miss Ronan on Y&R? Would you like the character return to Genoa City and get romantically involved with Phyllis again? Do you wish Jeff would have been on-air to play out the bullying storyline with Jamie, and have more scenes with on-screen mom, Tricia Cast? Weigh-in!

Ronan needs 2 come back I miss him 2 much he’s right those scenes he did with Daniel Polo aka Jamie were amazing we shouldve had more of those. Amazing interview Michael. Hey Jeff u can always be on the new AMC.

I would love for Jeff to return to Y&R ,but don”t want him back with Phylliss ,sorry Jeff not a Phonan fan at all. Also felt cheated that he and Tricia Cast weren’t in any scenes together,the fans I think felt cheated on that sl. So much could have been told about Ronan’s background. Also we were teased with the scenes he did with Liz Hendrickson ,at least I feel we were,Jeff doesn’t seam to care much about Chlonan anymore at all ,too bad that they couldn’t have given us some Chlonan magic,lots of chemistry there. Good luck with the daytime emmys Jeff. Sorry to see you go from daytime,Good luck with the producing angle though.

I would love for Ronan aka Jeff to come back ,just don’t see why he (Jeff) feels that Michelle is the only actress he wants to act with,not that she isn’t good,but so is Liz and he had great chemeistry with her.Sorry Jeff but Ronan was totally ruined for this fan,the moment he was put in Phylliss”s orbit.Hated that they wouldn’t let Jeff stay to finish the bullying sl though. Felt the fans were cheated with the Nina and her long lost son sl,just to stick him with Phylliss. Good luck with the future Jeff . I was sorry to see you go ,but at least I won’t have to watch Ronan cry and act like Red’s whipped puppy,so pathetic really. come back and rescue poor chloe from her sad little marriage. Miss Ronan,not Phonan,sorry Jeff.

I like Jeff as Ronan but not sure it’s a fit at the moment… but give the Billy gambling thing a bit and he might have something to come back for. I would actually like to see him doing something new on one of the other soaps. Hope he gets something soon he’s very talented.

Jeff is a major talent. The kind that Y&R is in desperate need of. So many new characters added and yet a dashing, compelling, complicated, intense character like Ronan is quickly written out?? The new regime got it wrong abruptly ejecting Ronan when he had so much going on. Phyllis was thrown back into a played out, passionless pairing with Jack that none of her fans want to see. Instead of pursuing a Phonan/Phick triangle, the writers put their eggs in Avery’s basket and are still trying to make her a leading lady through Nick and Dylan. Ridiculous! I am thrilled Jeff was nominated. That is the win right there because the show clearly miscalculated his value. Michelle Stafford and Jeff Branson scorched the screen with just a look. I will never give up hope for them to get the love story they deserve — the love story that was beginning to take form. Y&R needs to make that call and get Jeff Branson back. Fans are waiting!

Hi Jeff,
I am very happy that your nominated, Your a great actor………..You have a large amount of pride, wanting the writers to say We need Ronan. Hope you come back soon.Good luck with the emmys on 6/16
Have a Great night
Jeneen

No I don’t want to see Ronan come back. Never liked his character, never felt the character was developed properly— and I don’t see how he gets a Emmy nod for those scenes while he was drunk— did he cry? I know most male actors who win a Emmy do so for scenes where they either cry or get furious– so if he cried maybe he has a chance- otherwise the Emmy will go to the male actor who cried the best.

Bring Ronan back to rescue poor Chloe from that sad boring marriage to Kevin. Chlonan was never given a fair chance from the get go.He was always stuck with someone else. If we can’t have Chonan then give us anyone but Phonan. He was ruined the moment he was stuck in her orbit. Sorry Jeff ,never liked this pairing at all. Also Ronan didn’t even get to have one dinner with his mom,Nina,after sending that note last time he left ,why was he so cold and distant to her when he returned. There are too many questions about Ronan that were never answered. But if he comes back just please no more Phonan . Saw no love story there ,don’t get why Jeff only speaks of his work he did with MS,never mentions a word about EH anymore,last year he was rooting for her to win an emmy,sorry don’t get it at all. Liz is just as good an actress as Michelle.

Ronan comes back to Genoa City to work on the Carmine case. While there he’s contacted by child services regarding a child he fathered out of wedlock 8 years ago, a little girl. Her mother was killed in a car accident and he’s the only relative she has that they can locate. She’s a tomboy and a handful that even foster parents don’t want to deal with. Ronan has met his match. This may finally make him settle down. His daughter would have an uncle and a grandmother, Nina. She can get in all sorts of frustrating situations (for Ronan) and really stretch his character. He could round out the police department and, of course, he would need a love interest (Chloe?), who could give advice about raising a little girl. What do you think?

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